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USS Mervine (DD-489/ DMS-31) was a Gleaves class destroyer that spent most of the Second World War on convoy escort duty in the Atlantic and Mediterranean, as well as taking part in Operation Torch and the invasion of Sicily. In 1945 she was converted into a fast minesweeper and was on her way to the Pacific theatre when the war ended.
The Mervine was named after Rear Adm. William Mervine who served in the War of 1812, the Mexican War and the US Civil War, until forced by ill health to retire in September 1861.
The Mervine was laid down by the Federal Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co., Kearny, N.J on 3 November 1941, launched on 3 May 1942 when she was sponsored by Admiral Mervine’s great-granddaughter Mildred and commissioned on 17 June 1942.
The Mervine was originally classified as a Bristol class ship, which were built with four 5in guns instead of the five installed on the Livermore/ Gleaves class. However after the fifth gun was removed from the those ships all of the Bristol class ships joined the Livermore/ Gleaves class.
1942
Her shakedown cruise took her to Cuba. On 30 August 1942 she joined the Gulf Sea Frontier based at New Orlean, and spent September and most of October escorting shipping in the Gulf of Mexico and West Indies, where the U-boats had enjoyed their ‘second happy time’ after the US entry into the war.
Towards the end of October the Mervine joined TF 34 at Norfolk, to take part in Operation Torch, the invasion of French North Africa. She arrived off Safi, Morocco towards midnight on 7-8 November.
Her first role was to watch to see if the French resisted when the old destroyer Bernadou attempted to land US troops in the harbour at Safi, Morocco. At 0428 on 8 November she had to signal that the French were indeed fighting back. This triggered the order for the US fleet to open fire. During the main landings on 8 November she acted as a control vessel and also provided fire support for the troops on Red Beach, to the north of Safi.
She spent the next five days on patrol duties off Safi before returning to New York.
After her return to the US she began seven months of escort duties on coastal and trans-atlantic convoys.
1943
In the summer of 1943 the Mervine joined the forces supporting the invasion of Sicily. She departed for the Mediterranean with RF 65 on 8 June, reaching Mers-el-Kebir on 22 June. She joined TF 85 for the invasion, departing for Sicily on 5 July. From 10-13 July she operated off Scoglitti and the Camerina Plain, providing fire support for the 7th Army.
After this she began a long period of escort missions in the North Atlantic and Mediterranean.
1944
The Mervine spent all of 1944 on convoy escort missions in the Atlantic and Mediterranean.
On 31 December 1944 she left Mers-el-Kebir to escort convoy GUF-18 from Oran to the United States.
1945
In the spring of 1945 it was decided to convert the Mervine into a fast mine sweeper for service in the Pacific. On 23 May she entered the Philadelphia Navy Yard to begin the conversion and on 30 May she became DMS-31. The work was completed by 15 July when she left for Norfolk, and then the Pacific.
She was still en-route when the Japanese surrendered, reaching Okinawa on 28 September. In October she swept mines near Kokuzan on the Chinese coast. In November she moved to Japanese waters, operating off Kyushu and then Honshu.
Post-War
On 31 March 1946 the Mervine reached San Francisco. She spent the next two years operating along the US West Coast.
In 1948 she was sent to the western Pacific, reaching Yokosuka, Japan, on 25 March 1948. She then moved to Tsingtao, China, where she was based until 5 October, carrying out a mix of escort, rescue and training duties. Se departed for the US on 5 October, reaching her new home port at San Diego in November. She then moved back to Hawaii for a period of training and availability at Pearl Harbor. On 15 February 1949 she returned to California.
On 27 May she was decommissioned and entered the Pacific Reserve Fleet at San Diego. On 15 July 1944 she was redesignated as DD-489. At the end of the 1950s she moved to the Columbia River. Later she moved to Bremerton. She was struck off on 31 July 1968 and sold for scrap in 1969.
Mervine received three battle stars for her World War II service, for North Africa, Sicily, and convoy KMF-25A. She was awarded a fourth star for post-war minesweeping in the Pacific.
Anyone who served on her between 1 April and 5 October 1948 qualified for the China Service Medal and Navy Occupation Service Medal (Asia).
Displacement (standard) |
1,630t design |
Displacement (loaded) |
2,395t |
Top Speed |
35kts design |
Engine |
2-shaft Westinghouse turbines |
Range |
6500nm at 12kt design |
Length |
348ft 3in |
Width |
36ft 1in |
Armaments |
Five 5in/38 guns |
Crew complement |
208 |
Laid down |
3 November 1941 |
Launched |
3 May 1942 |
Commissioned |
17 June 1942 |
Sold for Scrap |
1969 |
U.S. Destroyers: An Illustrated Design History, Norman Friedmann .
The standard history of the development of American destroyers, from the earliest torpedo boat destroyers to the post-war fleet, and covering the massive classes of destroyers built for both World Wars. Gives the reader a good understanding of the debates that surrounded each class of destroyer and led to their individual features.
